Cement-brick press.



- No. 809,834. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

H. B. MURDOOK. CEMENT BRICK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1905.

7 SHEETS-SHEET l.

wituesszs fgnuzntor PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

H. B. MURDOCK.

CEMENT BRICK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.21. 1905.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses No. 809,834. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

H. B. MURDOOK. Y

CEMENT BRICK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21. 1905.

7 SHEETS- SHEET 3.

No. 809,834. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. H. B. MURDOOK.

CEMENT BRICK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB421v1-905- 7 SHEETS-SHEET 4 mitussscs gnnznmx 5m @MZW.

No. 809,834. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

H. B. MURDOCK.

CEMENT BRICK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21.1905.

7 SHEETS-4111121 5.

- gmlentnr No. 809,834. PATBNTBD JAN. 9, 1906- H. B. MURDOGK.

CEMENT BRICK PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 21. 1905.

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gnmamnr M HORACE BROIVN MURDOCK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CEMENT-BRICK PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan; 9, 1906 Application filed February 21, 1905. Serial No. 246,720.

To all w/wnb it may concern:

Be it known that I, HoRAoE BROWN MUR- DOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of l/Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cement-Brick Presses and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to brick-presses, more particularly for operating upon bricks formed of a mixture of sand and cement and the objects of the invention are to improve the construction of such mechanisms and increase their efliciency of operation and obviate many of the objections which have been found in machines of this class.

To the accomplishment of these objects and such others as may hereinafter appear the invention comprises the novel construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the same reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the entire apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the entire apparatus. Fig. 3 is a right end elevational view of the entire apparatus. Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the entire apparatus. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a portion of the apparatus, showing the filling and tamping mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail plan view of the lower portion of the right-hand end of the apparatus, the mechanism thereabove being removed. Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged partly-sectional end view of the pressing and stripping mechanism, parts thereof being broken away for clearness and the mold-box being shown in two halves, one raised above the other and each having its stripper-hook shown in position adjacent thereto, the upper hook being in engagement with its box-half and the lower one disengaged.

Generally speaking, the machine comprises a chute for feeding the material to be used leading to a stationary table on which the mold-boxes rest during the operation of tamping, a vertically-movable table adjacent the stationary table onto which the moldboxes are moved for pressing, means for stripping the bricks of their molds after being pressed, means for feeding a new palette into position beneath the mold-boxes, and means for conveying away the old palette with the molded bricks thereon.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a suitable base bearing four uprights 2, which carry at their upper ends a head-piece 3. Suitably attached to the base and uprights are a num ber of auxiliary frames 4, designed for the correct support and positioning of various parts of the machinery.

Power for the pressing mechanism is derived from a belt 5, Figs. 1 to 4, driving apulley 6, mounted on shaft 7, on which shaft is mounted a suitable clutchmechanism 8, Fig. 4. Power is transmitted from shaft 7 througha train of gears 9 to a gear 10, mounted on a shaft 11, carrying a crank 12, Fig. 1, having a link or connecting rod 13 attached to its free end, the movement of which is guided by a suitable slide 14. Connected to the end of link 13 are intermediate toggles 15, connected to the joints of main toggles 16, whose lower links have bearings in the base at 17 and whose upper links carry a platform or table 18 Figs. 1, 5, and 8, which is guided in its movement by the uprights 2. The clutch mechanism 8 is governed by suitable shifter-bars 18, 20, and 19, Fig. 3, the latter leading to rods 19, crank 18*, and rock-shaft 20, terminating in an operating-lever 21, Figs. 1 and 3.

Power for operating all mechanisms other than the pressing mechanism just described is derived through belting around a pulley 6 on cross-shaft 83, Fig. 3. This shaft carries a puliey 84 on its end at the front of the ma chine and a pulley 88 at its end at the rear of the machine, which are connected, respectively, by belts S5 and S6 to pulleys 31 and 87 on the front end and near the rear end of a cross-shaft 30, Figs. 1 to 3. Inside of pulley 31 on shaft 30 is a bevel-gear 29, meshing with a bevel-gear 28 on one end of a shaft 27, Fig. 2, which carries at its other end a worm 26, meshing with and driving a worm-wheel 25 on a small shaft 24, mounted in the auxiliary frame 4, Figs. 1, 2, and 4. On shaft 24 are a pair of sprockets 23, on which ride chains- 22, forming an endless conveyer for removing the finished bricks from the press. A small shaft 32, connected to shaft 30 by gearing 33,

is provided with a friction-cone 34, which is constructed to mesh with a second frictioncone 34 on a cross-shaft 35, Figs. 3 and 5, on which is mounted a pinion 36, meshing with a large gear 37, which in turn meshes with a rack 38, which is connected to move the mold boxes onto the moving table 18. The clutch 34 34 is governed bya forked lever 39, Fig. 1, engaging one of the cones and mounted on a rock-shaft 40, operated by a lever 41, Figs. 1 and 3, through the medium of links 42 and 43. Link 42 is extended beyond link 43, and its end is adapted to engage a lug 42 on rod'78, Fig. 3.

The mold-boxes 44, Fig. 5, rest upon a palette 45, which in turn rests upon a stationary table 46. At one end of boxes 44 is an extending wing 47, designed to close the lower end of feed-chute 48 when the boxes are in position for tamping. Engagement with rack 38 and boxes 44 is obtained by means of an apertured lug 49 on the boxes, which fits over a pin 50 on the rack, and by this means the boxes may be moved from the stationary to the movable table.

The lower end of feed-chute 48 is closed while the boxes 44 are on the movable table 18 by the following means: Below the table 46 are suitable tracks 51, Fig. 5, on which op erates a truck 51 carrying a horizontallydisposed gate or plate 52, to the under side of which is attached a spring-hook 53, on which a roller 54 is adapted to ride, journaled in the end of a link 55, to the other end of which is connected a second link 56 at substantially right angles to the first. On the mold-boxes is a fixed hook 57, which is in engagement with hook 53 when the molds are being tamped. When the boxes are moved, truck 51 and gate 52 are carried with them until the gate is in proper position, when the hooks are released from their engagement by link 56 striking against a stop 58, mounted on the framework of the machine.

In the head-piece 3 are mounted punches 59, Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 8, which act to press the material firmly into bricks when table 18 with the filled mold-boxes thereon are forced thereagainst.

On the opposite end of shaft 30 to that carrying pulley 31 and outside of'pulley 87 is a second pulley 60, carrying a belt 61, which drives a pulley 62 on the end of shaft 63, on which is mounted a suitable clutch mechanism 64, Figs. 2 to 5. On the other end of shaft 63 is a bevel-gear 65, meshing with a second bevel-gear 66, which in turn drives a shaft 67, on which are mounted S-shaped cams 68, having a pin 69 in each end, Figs. 2 and 5. These cams support and operate tamps 70 through the medium of guide-bars 71, carrying friction-rollers 72, adapted to ride on the surface of the cams. Tamps 70 are normally held out of engagement with the molds by means of dogs 73 and 74, carried by rock-shaft 75. Dog 73 is constructed to fit under a shoulder 76 on the guide-bar, and dog 74 is provided on its free end with an angular projection 77, which engages one of the pins 69. The clutch 64 is governed by a slide-bar 78, Fig. 3, which operates rock-shaft 75 through crank 79, which shaft is provided with a second crank 80, Fig. 5, the end of which is connected to the clutch through links 81 82. The dogs 73 74 being mounted on rock-shaft 75 are also governed by the movement of slide-bar 78.

On shaft 83 is mounted a bevel-gear 89, which meshes with another bevel-gear on one end of a shaft 91, which carries a frictioncone 92 at its other end and a gear .93 intermediate thereof. Above shaft 91 is a second shaft 94, carrying at one end a friction-cone 95 and driven by a gear 96, meshing with gear 93, Figs. 6 to 8. Friction-cone 95 is adapted to drive shaft 97 in two directions through friction-cones 98 and 99, mounted thereon. Friction-cone 95 is brought into engagement with cone 98 by means of lever 100, Fig. 1, mounted on rock-shaft 101.

Shaft 97 has on each end a worm 102, which meshes with wormwheels 103 on shafts 104, each of said shafts carrying a gear 105, which mesh with racks 106, carried by the stripper-bars 107, mounted in guides 108, Fig. 8, which in turn carry the stripper-hooks 109 for the mold-boxes, Figs. 6 to 8. The stripper-hooks 109 are pivotally mounted within the bars 107 at 110 and are provided with recesses 111 in their upper ends for engaging with lugs 112, attached to the moldboxes, and a lower extension 113, Fig. 8.

On the opposite endof shaft 11 is a disk 114, provided with a track about its outer edge having three recesses 115 116 117 in its face, Fig. 4. Mounted to bear on this disk and ride on said track is a roller 118, Fig. 3, mounted on one end of bar 20, which operates clutch 8 through lever 18. When roller 118 engages any one of the recesses, the clutch is released and the apparatus is stopped. On the inner surface of the track is a cam 119, Fig. 4, which as disk 114 revolves passes behind a roller 120 on one end of a rod 121, Figs. 2 and 6, and actuates the same in one direction. On the end of rod 121 is a hook 122, engaging a pawl 123, pivoted to the frame 4 at 124. A second cam 119 diametrically opposite cam 119 actuates the rod in the opposite direction. Y

Mounted in frame 4, Fig. 6, transverse to shafts 91 and 94, is a shaft 125, provided with friction-cones 126 and 127, adapted to engage friction-cone 92 to drive the shaft in opposite directions and with it chain 128, forming an endless carrier traveling over'sprocket- Wheel 129, preferably mounted between the cones, and other sprockets 129 and 129, mounted in the frame. Pawl 123 bears on one end of shaft 125 and a spring 130, mounted on frame 4, bears on its other end.

A second cam-surface 131 is mounted on the edge of disk 114, which as the disk revolves engages a roller 132 on one end of a rod 133, which operates a rock-shaft 134 through the medium of a crank 135, Fig. 8, which in turn operates a cam 136 to throw a friction-roller 137, pivotally mounted on the frame, into contact with a driving-roller 138, mounted on the shaft 91, and a driven roller 139 on a shaft 140, which carries sprockets 141, over which and other sprockets 141 and 141 mounted in the frame, travel chains 142, forming an endless carrier for the new palettes.

Chain 128 is provided with a moving head 143, Fig. 2, and in its path is one end of a lever 144, Fig. 4, which when actuated brings friction-cones 95 and 99 into engagement through rock-shaft 101.

A lug 145, Figs. 1 and 4, on chain 128 engages in its movement a lever 146, whose movement unhooks rod 121 from pawl 123, allowing spring 130 to bring friction-cones 92 and 127 into engagement.

Between the moving table 18 and the endless carrier 22 for conveying away the molded bricks is a friction-roller 147, Fig. 2, mounted in the frame 4, for assisting in carrying the palettes from the table to the carrier.

The preferred means used for operating the various friction-cone clutches herein described is readily seen by reference to the clutch shown by Figs. 6 to 8. The shaft 94, on which friction-cone 95 is mounted, passes through eccentrics 94 which are rigidly connected by a yoke 94 Fig. 6, through the movement of which, attained by crank 101 on rock-shaft 101, the cone 95 is thrown upon the desired cone 98 or 99.

Proceeding now to the operation of the machine, it will be noted that belts 5, 61, 85, and 86 are continuously running, but the various trains of working parts are only set in motion by the actuation of the various clutches. It will be assumed for the present purpose that all clutches are in inoperative position, that a palette carrying a set of loosely-filled moldboxes is on table 46, that feed-chute 48 is filled with the mixed material, that table 18 is placed level with table 46, and that a palette is in place on the endless carrier formed by chains 142, ready to be fed forward at the proper time. In order to perform the various operations correctly, slide-bar 78 is now pushed back, which connects clutch 64 and drives shafts 63 and 67, which latter actuates S-shaped cam 68, and roller 72 rides off the end thereof, precipitating tamps into the mold-boxes, thereby performing its function. The cam 68 is allowed to move because the actuation of rod 78 releases dog 74 from its engagement with pin 69 on the cam, and the tamp is allowed to move downward because the movement of the rod also withdraws the end of dog 73 from its engagement under shoulder 76 of guide 71. When the cam has again raised, the tamp-dogs 73 and 74 again fall into locking position. The operator is at liberty to actuate the tamp any number of therefore rod 78 will be forced back to its normal position. By the movement of lever 41 friction-cones 34 and 34 are thrown into engagement, which rotates shaft 35, pinion 36, and gear 37, which in turn moves rack 38, which by its engagement with the mold-boxes pushes the latter, with their pallette, o'tl' table 46 and onto table 18 In their passage they are filled with material from the chute, and are therefore in condition to be pressed. The material is retained in the chute by means of gate 52, which, with its truck 51, is carried along with the mold-boxes by reason of the engagement of hooks 53 and 57. WVhen the near end of the gate has reached the far side of the chute, lever 56 strikes stop 58, causing the lower end of said link to move forward, which causes roller 54 to travel along the incline of spring 53, and thus disengage the hooks, and although the boxes still travel forward the gate remains in place, covering the bottom of the chute. The molds being new in place on table 18 lever 21 is thrown back, which throws clutch 8 in engagement, rotating shaft 7 and through its connections crank 12 on shaft 11. The rotation of crank 12 forces toggles 16 outward and table 18 upward, forcing the mold-boxes against punches 59. It is desirable to give the material time to flow as it is being pressed, and therefore when crank 12 has reached its highest position the clutch 8 is thrown out by roller 118 on shifter-bar 20, riding into recess 115 .on disk 114, and the movement of table 18 is stopped. The pressure is removed, at the option of the operator, by again throwing back lever 21, which actuates crank 12, and thereby lowers table 18, which movement continues until roller 118 rides into recess 116 of disk 114 and causes the table 18 to again come to a stop with the bricks and punches still in contact, but with all pressure removed from the former. To strip the pressed bricks of their molds, lever 100 is forced to the left, which puts friction-cones 95 and 98 in engagement and drives racks 106 upward. As the tailpieces 113 of strippers 109 pass through guides 108, causing recesses 111 to envelop and engage with lugs 112, the moldboxes 44 are carried upward with the stripper-bars 107. After stripping the molds the operator for the third time throws back lever 21, again connecting clutch 8 and bringing table 18 to its lowest position, level with table 46, when &

roller 118 rides into recess 117 of disk 114 and causes table 18 to again come to a stop but while table 18 is on its downward movement and disk 114 is rotating cam 119 on said disk rides behind roller 120, thus drawing forward pawl 123 by means of the hooked end of bar 121, which pawl acting on shaft 125 throws friction-cones 126 and 92 into engagement, rotating the shaft and chain 128 and bringing forward a new palette, which has been resting on the chain in front of moving head 143, to its place on moving table 18 beneath punches 59, which. has by this time reached its position. As the new palette comes forward the old palette, with the finished bricks thereon, is pushed by it over roller 147 and upon chains 22, which act as an endless carrier to draw it away. This new palette is in place on chain 128, ready to be moved forward, owing to the fact that cam 131 on the edge of disk 114 has heretofore engaged and forced back roller 132 on the end of bar 133, which through its intermediate connections rotates friction-pulley 139 on shaft 140, and thus chains 142, which act as endless carriers to bring the new palette in position in front of moving head 143. As chain 128 moves forward head 143 comes in contact with the end of lever 144, the movement of which bringsfriction-cones 95 and 99 into engagement, causing the stripperbars to move downward through the intermediate mechanism, bringing the mold therewith to its position on the new palette just placed in position. After the mold-boxes are positioned the stripper-hooks 109 disengage from lugs 112 and are carried downward with the stripper-b ars 1 O7 As sprocketchain 128 moves forward lug 145 thereon engages one end of lever 146 which forces its other end against bar 121 and breaks the engagement between hook 122 and pawl 123, allowing spring 130 to bring frictioncones 127 and 92 into engagement, which rotates shaft 125 in the reverse direction and causeschain 128 to resume its former position. On further movement of disk 114 cam 119 comes in contact with and forces back roller 120, causing hook 122 to again engage pawl 123, and the still further movement of the disk brings the cam 119 again in position to repeat the operations hereinbefore described. As the mold-boxes are brought down upon the new palette apertured lug .50 on the boxes engages pin 49 on the rack 38, and said rack is now driven back, drawing the mold-boxes and new palette therewith. In this movement hooks 53 and 57 rengage, the boxes are filled with material as they pass under chute 48, and gate 47 closes the bottom of the chute when the boxes again reach their position under the tamps. The material is now in position to be again tamped, and by pulling slide-rod 78 the various operations just described may be again gone through with.

tionary table 46, then back to table 18 and I then pushed out of the machine over roller 147 and onto endless carrier 22 by a new palette being forced on table 18 It is not desired to be understood that the invention is limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts as herein described and illustrated, as it is manifest that numerous variations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The right is therefore reserved to all such variations and modifications as properly fall Within the scope of the invention and the terms of the following claims.

I claim 1. In a brick-press, a mold-box, means for loosely filling said box with brick-making material, means for tamping said loose material, means for refilling said box, and means for pressing the fresh and tamped material into a finished brick, substantially as described.

2. In a brick-press, a mold-box, means for loosely filling said box with brick-making material, means for tamping said loose material, means for refilling said box, means for pressing the fresh and tamped material into a finished brick, and means for displacing said brick from beneath said pressing means, substantially as described.

3. In a brick-press, a mold-box, means for loosely filling said box with brick-making material, means for tamping said loose material, means for refilling said box, means for pressing the fresh and tamped material into a finished brick, and automatic means for displacing said brick from beneath said pressing means, substantially as described.

4. In a brick-press, a mold-box, means for tamping the material therein, means for removing said box from beneath the tamps, means for pressing the material after such removal, means for stripping said mold from the brick after being pressed and means for removing the pressed brick from the machine, substantially as described.

5. In a briclcpress, a mold-box, a stationary and a movable table, a tamping mechanism above the former and a pressing-punch above the latter, and means for mechanically moving said box from one table to the other, substantially as described.

6. In a brick-press, a mold-box, a stationary and a movable table, a tamping mechanism above the former and a pressing-punch above the latter, means for moving said box from one table to the other, and means for filling said box with material during its passage, substantially as described.

7. In a brick-press, an open-ended feedchute, a mold-box, a stationary tamping-ta ble, a movable pressingtable, means for moving said box from one table to the other under said chute, and means for closing said chute, during the period of said operations, substantially as described.

8. In a brick-press, a reciprocating tamp, a stationary table thereunder, a stationary pressing-punch, a reciprocating table thereunder, a feed-chute between said tables, a mold-box, and means for moving said box from one table to the other and under said chute, substantially as described.

9. In a brick-press, a mold-box, means for tamping the material therein, means for mechanically moving said box onto a pressing table, means for moving said pressing-table against a pressing-punch, and means for stopping its movement when said table is in its highestposition,substantiallyas described.

10. In a brickpress, a pressing-punch and a reciprocating table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold-box on said table, while at a low level, automatic means for stopping the movement of said table at its highest level, when said box is in contact with said punch, and also when slightly withdrawn, and means for stripping the mold-box from the brick while said table is in the latternamed position, substantially as described.

11. In a brick-press,a brickanaterial feeder and a mold-box, means for moving said box past said feeder to looselyfill the same, means for tamping said loose material, means for moving said box back past said feeder to refill the same, an d means for pressing said fresh and tamped material into a finished brick, substantially as described.

12. In a brickpress,a brick-material feeder and a mold-box, means for moving said box past said feeder to looselyfill the same, means for tamping said loose material, means for moving said box back past said feeder to refill the same, means for pressing said fresh and tamped material into a finished brick, and automatic means for removing said brick from operative position, substantially as described.

13. In a brick-press, a feed-chute and a mold-box, a pressing and a tamp'ing mechanism, means for moving said box from one of said mechanisms to the other and back again beneath said chute, and means for removing said tamped and pressed brick from opera tive position, substantially as described.

1 1. In a brick-press, a feed-chute, a moldbox and palette therefor, means for moving said box and palette beneath said chute, thereby loosely filling the same, to a tamping mechanism, means for operating said tamping mechanism, means for again passing said box and palette beneath said chute, thereby refilling the same, to a pressing mechanism, means for operating said pressing mechanism, and means for removing said tamped and pressed brick from operative position by the motion of a new incoming palette, substantially as described.

15. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold -box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, and means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette when the brick is finished, substantially as described.

16. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder,means for placing a filled mold-box with its palette on said table,

means for bringing said table and punch together to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette, and means for carrying away the old palette and brick thereon, substantially as described.

17. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, and automatic means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette when the brick is finished, substantially as described.

18. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, and means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette when the brick is finished, and for placing a second new palette in proper position to be brought forward at the proper time, substantially as described.

19. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch together to press the brick, and automatic means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette when the brick is finished, and for placing a second new palette in proper position to be brought forward at the proper time, substantially as described.

20. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold -box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch together to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, means for bringing forward a new palette, and means for placing the mold-box thereon ready to be refilled, substantially as described.

21. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled ICC mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch together to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, means for bringing forward a new palette, and means controlled by the means for bringing forward the new palette for placing the mold-box thereon ready to be refilled, substantially as described.

22. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled moldbox with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, means con trolled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette and for placing the mold-box thereon ready to be refilled, sub-.

stantially as described.

23. In a brickpress, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, and means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette, for placing the mold-box thereon, and for placing a second new palette in proper position to be brought forward at the proper time, substantially as described.

24:. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold -box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch together to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, a carrier for bringing forward a new palette, and means for returning said carrier to its normal posi-' tion, substantially as described.

25. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, a carrier for bringing forward a new palette, and means controlled by the movement of said carrier for returning the same to its normal position, substantially as described.

26. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, a carrier controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette, and means controlled by the movement of said carrier for returning the same to its normal position, substantially as described.

27. In a brick-press, a pressing-punch and a table thereunder, means for placing a filled mold box with its palette on said table, means for bringing said table and punch to gether to press the brick, means for stripping the box from the finished brick, and means controlled by said actuating means for bringing forward a new palette, for placing the mold-box thereon, for returning the means for bringing forward the new palette to its normal position, and for placing a second new palette in proper position to be brought forward at the proper time, substantially as described.

28. In a brick-press, means for placing a palette and mold-box therefor in the machine, means for filling the box, means for moving the palette and box under a tamp, means for operating the tamp, means for again filling said box, means for moving the box and palette beneath'a punch, means for pressing the material with said punch,means for stripping the pressed brick 'of its moldbox and means for removing the palette and finished brickfrom the machine, substantially as described.

29. In a brick-press, means for feeding a palette in the machine, means for placing a mold box on said palette, a feed chute, means for moving said palette and box under said chute and beneath a tamp, means for operating said tamp on the material fed into said box, means for moving said palette and box back under said chute and beneath a punch, means for closing said feed-chute after the passage of said box, means for pressing the material in said box with said punch, means for stripping the pressed brick of its mold-box, and means for removing the palette and finished brick from the machine, substantially as described.

30. In a machine of the class designated, a tamping mechanism comprising a cam, a reciprocating tamp controlled thereby, means for revolving said cam, a rock-shaft, a dog on said shaft, means on said tamp with which said dog engages to lock the former against movement, a similar locking means for said cam, means for rockingsaid shaft to disengage said dogs, and means for actuating said revolving means, substantially as described.

31. In a machine of the class designated, a tamping mechanism comprising a cam, a reciprocating tamp controlled thereby, means for revolving said cam, means for locking said cam and tamp against movement, means for releasing said locking means, and means con,

trolled by said releasing means for actuating said revolving means, substantially as described.

32. In a brick-press, a feedchute, a moldbox, means for moving said box past said chute to fill the same, and means for closing said c'hute after the passage of said box comprising, a movable gate, a spring-hook attached to said gate, means on said mold-box for engaging said hook,and means for exerting a pressure on said hook to disengage the same when said gate has been moved in position beneath said chute, substantially as describeda 33. In a brick-press, a feed-chute, a moldbox, means for moving said box past said chute to fill the same, and means for closing said chute after the passage of said box C0111- prising, a movable gate, a spring-hook attached to said gate, means on said mold-box for engaging said hook, a rod having one end in contact with said hook and its other attached to one end of a lever pivoted to said gate, and means for actuating the other end of said lever when the gate has been moved in position beneath the chute, whereby said rod exerts a pressure on said hook and releases the same, substantially as described.

34. In a brickpress, a mold-box and means for stripping said box from the finished brick comprising a vertically-movable stripper-hook, a-lug on said box, and means for bringing said hook into engagement with said lug during its movement, substantially as described.

35. In a brick press, a mold-box and means for stripping said box from the finished brick comprising a Vertically-movable stripper-hook, a lug on said box, means for bringing said hook into engagement with said lug during its movement, and means for looking said members in such engagement, substantially as described.

36. In a brick press, a mold -box and means for stripping said box from the finished brick comprising a vertically-movable bar, a member pivoted therein having a hook at one end and an extended tailpiece at the other, a lug on said box, and a guide through which said member passes adapted to press upon said tailpiece and bring and lock said hooked end and lug in engagement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aHix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE BROWN MURDOOK.

Witnesses:

H. H. HAGER, LOUIS I. LEFEBVRE. 

